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Prehistoric cave called “Riparo Tagliente” – Grezzana
Locality Stallavena – 37023 Grezzana (VR)
Summary


The site of the “Riparo Tagliente” conserves the remains of its human use during the middle and upper Palaeolithic (60.000 – 10.000 years ago), when the people lived in groups of hunter-gatherers. The deposits that have been found here document two phases of human settlement separated by a moment of abandonment that is represented by an erosion layer.

History of research

The site of the “Tagliente shelter” was discovered in 1958 by F. Tagliente. The first researches were carried out between 1962 and 1964 by the Civic Museum of Natural History in Verona. They were resumed in 1967 by the University of Ferrara and they are still ongoing.

Urban and geographical context

The site of the “Tagliente shelter” is located north of Verona, on the right side of the valley “Valpantena” which opens on the western coasts of the Lessini mountains at about 250 metres above sea level.

Chronology

Middle and upper Palaeolithic: 60.000-10.000 before present

Description

Prehistoric cave called “Riparo Tagliente”

The Tagliente shelter has been used by human groups of hunter-gatherers of the middle and upper Palaeolithic (60.000 – 10.000 years ago) and it seems to have been abandoned about 10.000 years ago. The cave was almost totally obstructed by landslides and was not used again before the middle age, when an entrance was excavated.
The deposits that have been found here document two phases in the use of the cave, which are separated by a layer of abandonment. The most ancient deposit spans between 60.000 and 30.000 years ago and is characterized by Mousterian and Aurignacian stone tools. The palaeoclimatic analyses suggest that this settlement phase corresponds to a full glacial cycle.
The most recent deposit refers to the end of the upper Palaeolithic and is characterized by stone tools belonging to the end of the final Epigravettian (13.500 – 10.000 years ago). The naturalistic data indicate a vegetation typical of dry and cold climates, progressively followed by one of warmer climates with grasslands and conifer and deciduous plants. To this phase pertain some living areas, particularly a burial grave and some art pieces. For this reason the site is of fundamental importance for understanding the middle Palaeolithic and the final part of upper Palaeolithic.

Plan


Visiting

Admission: Su prenotazione

Visitability: Interno

Ticket: No

School access
Upon reservation, during the yearly excavations campaigns (in summer and autumn)

Opening Times

Recommended tour time (minutes): 60

Services for visitors

Educational Services


Photogallery


Bibliography

Mezzena F. 1964, Oggetti d’arte mobiliare del Paleolitico scoperti al Riparo Tagliente in Valpantena (Verona), in Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche, XIX, pp. 175-187.
Guerreschi A. 1980, Cenni sulle strutture di abitato epigravettiano a Riparo Tagliente (Verona) e loro interpretazione, in Il territorio veronese dalle origini all’età romana, a cura di Fasani L., Verona, pp. 173-178.
Bartolomei G., Broglio A., Cattani L., Cremaschi M., Guerreschi A., Leonardi P. 1984, Paleolitico e Mesolitico, in Il Veneto nell’antichità. Preistoria e Protostoria, a cura di Aspes A., Verona, pp. 167-319.
Veneto e Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Guide Archeologiche Preistoria e Protostoria in Italia) 1996, a cura di Aspes A., Fasani L., Forlì, pp. 110-117.


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